Thailand’s fugitive ex-PM Thaksin returns to jail from years in self-exile

AFP

Thailand’s fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra on Tuesday set foot on Thai soil for the primary time since 2008, coming back from self-exile to jail simply hours earlier than his allies contest a parliamentary vote in a bid to kind a authorities.

Thaksin, the billionaire figurehead of the populist juggernaut Pheu Thai Party, fled overseas 15 years in the past earlier than he was jailed in absentia for abuse of energy, two years after the army toppled him in a coup, alleging corruption and disloyalty to the highly effective monarchy, which he refutes.

Thaksin, 74, appeared briefly with members of the family at a personal jet terminal at Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport, smiling and waving to lots of of supporters, earlier than he was escorted in a police convoy to the Supreme Court, then taken to jail, the place, the courtroom mentioned, he’ll serve eight years.

As he emerged from the airport carrying a black swimsuit, pink tie and yellow lapel pin bearing a royal insignia, Thaksin clasped his fingers collectively and bowed in a standard “wai” greeting earlier than a portrait of the king and queen.

Thaksin’s daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, confirmed he had arrived safely and posted photos on Facebook of a smiling Thaksin along with his household, together with seven grandchildren.

“Dad has returned to Thailand and has entered the legal process,” Paetongtarn mentioned.

The vaunted arrival of Thailand’s most well-known politician got here because the decrease home and military-appointed Senate convened forward of a vote afterward Tuesday on prime ministerial candidate Srettha Thavisin, an actual property mogul who was thrust into politics by Pheu Thai just some months in the past.

Thailand has been beneath a caretaker authorities since March and its new parliament has been deadlocked for weeks after the anti-establishment winner of a May election, Move Forward, had been blocked by conservative lawmakers, leaving heavyweight Pheu Thai to steer a brand new effort.

A winner of 5 elections over the previous 20 years, Pheu Thai, based by the Shinawatra household, has agreed a contentious alliance together with two events backed by a army that overthrew governments led by Thaksin and sister Yingluck Shinawatra in 2006 and 2014 coups.

His return has prompted widespread hypothesis that Pheu Thai’s alliance with its previous enemies within the army and the institution is a part of a behind-the-scenes deal to permit him to return again safely.

Srettha, 60, on Monday mentioned Pheu Thai had not alternative however to associate with some rivals that it had earlier vowed to not work with.

“We are not lying to the people, but we have to be realistic,” mentioned Srettha, who has the assist of 317 lawmakers and desires 58 votes from the Senate to safe the requisite backing of half of the legislature.

LOVED AND LOATHED

The return of Thaksin, who’s liked and loathed in equal measure in Thailand, is sort of sure to overshadow that vote. Hundreds of red-shirted supporters carrying banners gathered on the airport, exterior the courtroom and the jail to greet him, some chanting “PM Thaksin”.

A former policeman, telecoms tycoon and English Premier League soccer membership proprietor, Thaksin gained the hearts of thousands and thousands of working-class Thais with populist giveaways starting from money handouts and village loans to farm subsidies and common healthcare.

But his reputation and his assist for a brand new wave of capitalist upstarts put him at odds with a nexus of royalists, army and previous cash households, triggering an intractable energy battle that’s nonetheless being performed out.

Thaksin maintains all costs and allegations towards him had been trumped as much as preserve him from energy and has through the years repeatedly reneged on guarantees to return house. He has spent 17 years in self-imposed exile since he was toppled within the 2006 coup.

Pheu Thai has denied Thaksin’s involvement in its bid to kind a authorities and the previous chief has for months denied conspiring with the generals who toppled him and sister Yingluck.

Yingluck, who additionally lives in self-imposed exile to keep away from a jail time period for presidency negligence, mentioned she backed his resolution to return.

“For the past 17 years, you feel isolated, lonely, troubled and missing home but you persevered,” she posted on Facebook.

“I believe that you have spent time thinking before deciding … I respect your decisive decision.”